What were your mother’s parting words every time you left the house? Right. “Watch for snakes.” In August, we were told to be extra careful because the rattlers would be shedding their skins, their eyes would be covered for a few days, and since they couldn’t see they would strike at the sounds we made […]

Good morning. It’s the Freedom New Mexico Tuesday briefing. Video of the day Snakes alive and being handled…it’s Animal Attractions. Chicken cash Heads up lesser prairie chicken fans. The Natural Resources Conservation Service in New Mexico has received $300,000 for its lesser prairie chicken habitat enhancement efforts. Lesser prairie chickens live in Roosevelt County and […]

Glenda Price What were your mother’s parting words every time you left the house? Right. “Watch for snakes.” In August, we were told to be extra careful because the rattlers would be shedding their skins, their eyes would be covered for a few days, and since they couldn’t see they would strike at the sounds […]

By Judy Brandon: Local columnist Several years ago, I scanned a news story headline that read, “Woman considers poisonous snakes brothers.” This piqued my interest, so I read on. Apparently a woman was worried about the environment and especially concerned for venomous snakes and their survival. She felt that society was wrongly killing poisonous snakes, […]

CNJ staff photo: Andy DeLisle The Hillcrest Zoo is home to many indigenous snakes. The bullsnake, above, is one of the most common snakes in the area. It imitates the rattlesnake to scare away predators but is not poisonous. By Thomas Garcia: Freedom Newspapers With warmer weather, area residents are spending more time visiting lakes […]

By Ryn Gargulinski: Columnist Drivers can always tell they’re in New Mexico not necessarily by the highway signs, but by what’s lying on the side of the road. I don’t mean bums in cowboy boots, but the fine proliferation of road kill. New Mexico road kill usually consists of coyotes, snakes, cattle and once in […]

Tom Watt of Clovis takes precautions when he hunts rattlesnakes, including knee-high boots. (Staff photo: Andy DeLisle By Marlena Hartz: CNJ staff writer When most would run, Tom Watt hunts. He hunts even when he is not on the hunt. Like a January day he heard a soft rattle in his barn. He moved a […]

By Bob Huber: Local Columnist Is Social Security safe? We’re told that unless meaningful reform is implemented, the system will be bankrupt by the year 2050, which will plunge us into chaos, despair, and extreme whining. I don’t care, because I plan to be dead by then. So let’s forget about THAT problem. Instead, on […]

By Mike Linn Don’t get rattled, but the snakes are out. Just ask Elida resident Scott Beard, bitten by a rattlesnake this month while fixing a flat tire. Or the youth group at Dora Baptist Church. They stumbled on one coiled and nervous on the church sidewalk a week ago. Or ask pharmacist Doyle Potter, […]